Glossary

422 terms used across this site, each defined in plain language. Terms are linked from every page on first use.

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10 of 10: A baseline that averages the last 10 eligible non event days, often with a day of adjustment. See also: day of adjustment, baseline.

A

ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report): A report, usually based on a VPAT, that states how a product meets each accessibility criterion. See also: VPAT, WCAG.
ADMS (Advanced Distribution Management System): The utility control room platform that combines distribution SCADA, outage management, and network analysis. A DERMS may take event requests from the ADMS or send it fleet status. See also: SCADA, grid edge DERMS.
AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): The standard symmetric encryption algorithm. AES 256 is commonly used for data at rest. See also: TLS, KMS.
aggregator: A company that enrolls many customer devices and offers their combined flexibility to a utility or a wholesale market. The aggregator is usually responsible for dispatch and performance. See also: VPP, FERC 2222.
agricultural load: Farm loads such as irrigation pumps, center pivots, cold storage, and dairy equipment that can often shift by hours. See also: crop protection override.
AI (Artificial Intelligence): Software that learns patterns from data to make predictions or generate content. Utility contracts increasingly require any AI in a product to be disclosed and switchable off. See also: AI governance.
AI governance: Policies for disclosing, explaining, testing, and controlling any AI or machine learning used in a product. See also: NIST AI RMF.
AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants): The professional body that defines SOC reporting standards. See also: SOC 2.
AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure): Smart meters plus the communications network and head end that collect their interval data. AMI data is the backbone of most baselines. See also: MDMS, interval data.
ancillary services: Grid services beyond energy, such as frequency regulation and spinning reserves. See also: frequency regulation.
Annex A: The list of reference security controls in ISO 27001 that an organization selects from. See also: Statement of Applicability.
API (Application Programming Interface): A defined way for software systems to request data and actions from each other. See also: REST.
approved device registry: The list of device makes, models, and firmware versions a program accepts, with their telemetry readiness. See also: OEM.
ARB (Architecture Review Board): A utility group that reviews and approves new systems against its technical standards. See also: vendor risk assessment.
ATO (Authority to Operate): A formal approval from an agency that a system meets its security requirements. See also: FedRAMP.
audit log: A tamper resistant record of who did what and when, including changes, logons, and exports. See also: SIEM.
availability test: A scheduled test, often monthly, that proves a resource can deliver its committed capacity. Failing it can trigger reduced payment or liquidated damages. See also: pay for performance, liquidated damages.
avoided cost: The cost a utility does not incur because a program reduced load, such as energy, capacity, or grid upgrades. See also: UCT.
AWS (Amazon Web Services): The Amazon cloud platform. Applications hosted on it inherit many of its physical and infrastructure security controls. See also: AWS Outposts, FedRAMP.
AWS Outposts: AWS hardware installed in a customer data center that runs AWS services locally. It lets a cloud native application run On Prem. See also: On Prem, AWS.

B

backup reserve: The share of battery capacity held back for home backup during outages and excluded from dispatch. See also: state of charge.
BACnet: The standard protocol for building automation systems, used to read and control HVAC and lighting. See also: BAS, Modbus.
BAFO (Best and Final Offer): The final revised proposal a buyer requests from shortlisted vendors. See also: RFP.
balancing authority: The entity that keeps generation and load in balance within an area and maintains frequency. See also: ISO.
BAS (Building Automation System): The control system for a commercial building HVAC and other equipment. It is often the integration point for C&I DR. See also: BEMS.
baseline: An estimate of what load would have been without the event. Performance is the baseline minus actual load. See also: CBL, M&V.
batch file: A file of many records exchanged on a schedule, such as a nightly enrollment or meter data file. See also: SFTP, CSV.
BCP (Business Continuity Plan): The plan for keeping critical services running during and after a disruption. See also: RTO, RPO.
BEMS (Building Energy Management System): A system that monitors and controls building loads such as HVAC and lighting, often over BACnet. See also: BAS, BACnet.
BES (Bulk Electric System): The NERC defined set of high voltage facilities, generally 100 kV and above, subject to reliability standards. See also: NERC CIP, BES Cyber System.
BES Cyber System: A group of cyber assets that, if compromised, could affect the bulk electric system within 15 minutes. It is categorized as low, medium, or high impact. See also: BES, NERC CIP.
BESS (Battery Energy Storage System): A battery with its inverter and controls that can charge and discharge on command. See also: state of charge, FTM.
BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle): A vehicle powered only by its battery, with no gasoline engine. See also: EV, PHEV.
bidirectional charging: Charging equipment and vehicles that can both draw power from and send power to the grid or a building. See also: V2X, J3072.
bridge letter: A letter from a service provider covering the gap between the end of its last SOC 2 period and today. See also: SOC 2.
BTM (Behind the Meter): Equipment on the customer side of the utility meter, such as a home battery. Its effect is seen as a change in the customer load. See also: FTM.
bulk power system: The generation and transmission facilities that make up the high voltage grid, as opposed to local distribution. See also: BES.
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): A program design where customers enroll devices they already own, such as thermostats or batteries. See also: smart thermostat.

C

C&I (Commercial and Industrial): Business customers, from offices and stores to factories. Their DR usually involves site plans and meter based baselines. See also: BEMS, curtailment plan.
CAISO (California Independent System Operator): The ISO that runs the grid and wholesale market for most of California. See also: EDAM, WEIM.
calculation lineage: The traceable chain from raw data through quality checks, estimates, and formulas to a final settlement figure. See also: figure of record, estimation hierarchy.
CAN-SPAM: The federal law setting rules for commercial email, including opt out and sender identification. See also: TCPA.
capacity market: A wholesale market that pays resources to be available in future peak periods. See also: resource adequacy.
CBL (Customer Baseline Load): A baseline calculated for one customer, often from the average of recent similar days. See also: baseline, 10 of 10.
CBO (Community Based Organization): A local nonprofit that helps a program reach and enroll customers who may not respond to utility marketing. See also: income qualified.
CCA (Community Choice Aggregation): A local government program that buys power on behalf of its residents and businesses while the incumbent utility still delivers it. See also: public power.
CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act): The California privacy law that gives residents rights to know, delete, and opt out of the sale of personal information. See also: CPRA, PII.
CCS (Combined Charging System): A connector that adds DC fast charging pins to J1772. See also: J1772, NACS.
CEJA (Climate and Equitable Jobs Act): The 2021 Illinois clean energy law that created equity investment eligible communities and shaped utility programs in the state. See also: LMI.
census tract: A small statistical area defined by the US Census Bureau, often used to report program participation and equity metrics. See also: LMI.
CGL (Commercial General Liability): Insurance covering bodily injury and property damage claims. See also: E&O.
CHAdeMO: A DC fast charging connector used mainly by older Nissan and Mitsubishi models. See also: CCS.
CIM (Common Information Model): A family of IEC standards (IEC 61968 and IEC 61970) that define a shared data model for utility systems. It lets the ADMS, GIS, and DERMS describe the network the same way. See also: IEC 61968, IEC 61970.
CIP-013: The NERC CIP standard for supply chain risk management of BES Cyber Systems. See also: NERC CIP, SBOM.
CIS (Customer Information System): The utility system that holds customer accounts, premises, rates, and billing. A DERMS reconciles enrollments against it, often daily. See also: daily reconciliation, SAP.
CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency): The US agency that sets minimum SBOM elements and publishes known exploited vulnerabilities. See also: SBOM.
co-op: An electric cooperative, a member owned utility, often rural, that may buy power from a generation and transmission cooperative. See also: G&T, NISC.
coincident peak: A customer or resource load at the time of the system peak. Many capacity charges are based on it. See also: PLC.
committed MW: The capacity a program or aggregator has promised to deliver under its contract or tariff. It is compared with dispatchable MW before every event. See also: dispatchable MW.
communication failure: An exception where the dispatch signal or telemetry did not get through, so the device never received the event or its response is unknown. See also: exception class.
community solar: A shared solar facility whose output credits are assigned to subscribers who do not have panels at home. See also: POI.
confidence interval: A range around an estimate that likely contains the true value, such as plus or minus 10% at 90% confidence. See also: M&V.
consent: The customer authorization that lets a program control a device and use its data. A DERMS stores the signed document, its version, and a hash so it can be proven later. See also: enrollment state machine, PII.
control group: Participants not dispatched in an event, used to estimate what dispatched participants would have done. See also: treatment group, RCT.
corrective action plan: A documented plan a provider follows to fix performance that falls below a requirement. See also: scorecard.
cost effectiveness: Whether a program benefits exceed its costs under a defined test such as TRC, UCT, RIM, or the Participant test. See also: TRC, UCT, RIM.
CPO (Charge Point Operator): The company that owns or operates public EV chargers. See also: NSP, eMSP.
CPP (Critical Peak Pricing): A rate with much higher prices during a limited number of called peak events each year. See also: TOU, PTR.
CPRA (California Privacy Rights Act): The 2020 amendment to the CCPA that added rights and created the California Privacy Protection Agency. See also: CCPA.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Software that tracks customer contacts, cases, and outreach, such as Salesforce. Utilities often link it to the DERMS for program marketing and support cases. See also: CIS.
crop protection override: A grower right to skip an event when interrupting irrigation or cooling would damage crops. See also: agricultural load.
CSAT (Customer Satisfaction): A survey score of how satisfied customers are, often on a 1 to 5 scale. See also: KPI.
CSIP (Common Smart Inverter Profile): The California implementation guide for IEEE 2030.5 that defines how utilities talk to smart inverters under Rule 21. See also: IEEE 2030.5, Rule 21.
CSR (Customer Service Representative): A utility or program call center agent who handles customer questions and cases. See also: IVR.
CSV (Comma Separated Values): A plain text table format used for bulk enrollment files and data exports. See also: batch file.
CTA-2045: A standard modular communications port on appliances such as water heaters, into which a utility communications module plugs. See also: UCM, load up.
curtailment: Reducing generator output, such as solar, below what it could produce, usually to manage voltage, export limits, or oversupply. See also: export limiting.
curtailment plan: A site document listing which loads a C&I customer will reduce during an event and by how much. See also: C&I.
cutover: The moment control moves from the old system to the new one in a migration. See also: parallel run.
CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures): The public catalog of known software vulnerabilities, each with a unique ID. See also: CVSS.
CVR (Conservation Voltage Reduction): Lowering distribution voltage within allowed limits to reduce energy use and peak demand. It is usually run by the ADMS. See also: ADMS, volt-var.
CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System): A 0 to 10 score of a vulnerability severity used to set fix deadlines. See also: CVE.
cyber liability insurance: Insurance covering costs from data breaches and cyber incidents, such as notification and recovery. See also: E&O.
cycling: Turning an AC compressor or other load off for part of each period during an event, such as 50% of each half hour. See also: DLC.

D

daily reconciliation: A daily comparison of DERMS enrollments against the CIS that flags closed accounts, moves, and mismatches as exceptions. See also: CIS, exception class.
data minimization: Collecting and keeping only the personal data needed for a stated purpose. See also: PII.
data portability: The ability to export complete data with identifiers, relationships, and history in a usable format. See also: exit plan.
data quality flag: A marker on a data point that records whether it is measured, estimated, missing, or suspect. See also: estimation hierarchy.
data residency: Where data is stored and processed. Many utilities require data and backups to stay in the US. See also: offshore access.
day of adjustment: A correction that scales or shifts a baseline using load in the hours just before the event, so it reflects that day conditions. See also: 10 of 10.
DC coupled: A solar plus battery design where both share one inverter on the DC side, which complicates separate measurement of each. See also: smart inverter.
DCFC (DC Fast Charging): High power EV charging, typically 50 to 350 kW, that delivers DC directly to the battery. See also: CCS, NACS.
DDQ (Due Diligence Questionnaire): A standard set of vendor questions on security, finances, and operations. See also: RFP.
deemed savings: Pre approved savings values per device or measure, used instead of measuring each site. See also: TRM.
demand charge: A charge based on a customer highest kW demand in a billing period, common for C&I customers. See also: C&I, kW.
DER (Distributed Energy Resource): A small energy resource connected to the distribution grid, such as a thermostat, battery, EV charger, water heater, or rooftop solar system. DERs can be dispatched individually or aggregated into a fleet. See also: DERMS, VPP.
DERMS (Distributed Energy Resource Management System): Software that enrolls, monitors, dispatches, and settles distributed energy resources for a utility. Some DERMS focus on the grid side, others on customers, devices, and programs. See also: DERMS of record, grid edge DERMS, ADMS.
DERMS of record: The DERMS that holds the authoritative record of customer, premise, device, enrollment, consent, event, telemetry, and settlement data. It reconciles daily with the CIS and can be exported in full at exit. See also: system of record, CIS, grid edge DERMS.
direct install: A program delivery model where a contractor installs the device at the customer home, often at no cost. See also: trade ally.
dispatch: The command that tells a device or fleet to change output or load at a set time. It can be a single event, a schedule, or a setpoint. See also: event window, schedule of record.
dispatchable MW: The capacity the fleet can actually deliver right now, after removing offline, depleted, or opted out devices. See also: committed MW, readiness check.
dispute: A formal challenge to a settlement figure. A sound DERMS creates a new version rather than overwriting the original. See also: figure of record.
DLC (Direct Load Control): Utility control of a customer appliance, often through a switch on an AC compressor or water heater. See also: load control switch.
DMS (Distribution Management System): Software that models and operates the distribution network, including switching, voltage control, and power flow. It is a core part of an ADMS. See also: ADMS.
DNP3 (Distributed Network Protocol 3): The SCADA protocol (IEEE 1815) used between control centers and field devices in North American utilities. See also: SCADA, IEEE 1815.
double counting: Paying for the same load reduction twice, for example in both a retail program and a wholesale market. Registries prevent it by checking dual participation. See also: dual participation, FERC 2222.
DR (Demand Response): Customers reduce or shift electricity use when the utility asks, usually in exchange for an incentive. In security documents, DR can also mean disaster recovery. See also: event DR, DLC.
DRMS (Demand Response Management System): Software that runs demand response programs: enrollment, event scheduling, device signaling, and basic performance reporting. A DERMS usually covers the same ground plus more device types and settlement. See also: DERMS, DR.
DSM (Demand Side Management): Utility programs that change customer energy use, including efficiency and demand response. See also: DR, EM&V.
DSO (Distribution System Operator): The entity that operates the distribution grid and coordinates DER activity on it. In the US this is usually the local utility. See also: ISO.
dual participation: A device or site enrolled in more than one program or market at once. Rules define whether it is allowed and how it is settled. See also: double counting.
duck curve: The daily net load shape in high solar regions, with a midday dip and a steep evening ramp. See also: net load, load up.
dynamic cohort: A device group whose membership is computed at dispatch time from rules, such as feeder, state of charge, or comfort history, rather than fixed in advance. See also: nested group.

E

E&O (Errors and Omissions): Professional liability insurance covering losses from mistakes in services. See also: CGL.
EDAM (Extended Day Ahead Market): The CAISO day ahead market expanded to utilities across the West, starting in 2026. See also: CAISO, WEIM.
EiEvent: The OpenADR 2.0 service that carries DR event signals from VTN to VEN. See also: VTN, EiReport.
EiOpt: The OpenADR 2.0b service a VEN uses to opt in or out of events or declare availability. See also: opt out.
EiRegisterParty: The OpenADR 2.0b service a VEN uses to register with a VTN. See also: VEN.
EiReport: The OpenADR 2.0 service for registering and sending telemetry and status reports. See also: EiEvent.
ELCC (Effective Load Carrying Capability): A measure of how much a resource contributes to reliability, expressed as the share of its nameplate that counts toward resource adequacy. See also: resource adequacy.
eligibility rule: A rule that decides whether a customer, premise, or device can join a program, such as rate class, device model, or location. Each rejection carries a reason code. See also: enrollment state machine.
EM&V (Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification): Independent evaluation of program savings and impacts, usually done by a third party evaluator for the regulator. See also: M&V.
EMS (Energy Management System): In a utility control center, the system that monitors and controls the transmission grid and generation. In buildings, EMS also refers to the controller that manages site loads. See also: BEMS, SCADA.
eMSP (e-Mobility Service Provider): A company that gives drivers access to charging networks, often through an app or roaming agreements. See also: OCPI, CPO.
ENERGY STAR: The US EPA program that certifies efficient products, including connected thermostats and SHEMS specifications. See also: SHEMS.
enrollment state machine: The defined set of states an enrollment moves through, such as application, validation, consent, approval, activation, suspension, replacement, unenrollment, and termination, each with a timestamp. See also: consent, registry.
ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas): The ISO that runs most of the Texas grid, which is not synchronized with the rest of the US. See also: ISO.
escheatment: Turning unclaimed funds, such as uncashed checks or unredeemed cards, over to the state as unclaimed property. See also: incentive.
ESP (Electronic Security Perimeter): The logical boundary around networks with medium and high impact BES Cyber Systems, with controlled access points. See also: NERC CIP.
ESPI (Energy Services Provider Interface): The North American standard behind Green Button data exchange. See also: Green Button.
estimation hierarchy: The ordered list of methods used to fill missing data, with approval points, so estimated values are always labeled and never mistaken for measured ones. See also: calculation lineage, data quality flag.
EV (Electric Vehicle): A vehicle powered fully or partly by a battery charged from the grid. See also: BEV, EVSE.
evaluation criteria: The weighted factors a utility uses to score proposals. See also: RFP.
event DR: Demand response delivered as discrete events that the utility calls with notice, as opposed to a standing daily schedule. Events can be economic, emergency, or test events. See also: test event, event window.
event window: The start and end time of a demand response event, such as 4 to 6 pm on a weekday. See also: event DR, standing window.
EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment): The charger, cable, and connector that deliver power to an EV. See also: OCPP, Level 2.
exception class: A category for why a device did not perform during an event. The three common classes are communication failure, non delivery, and participant bypass, and each settles differently. See also: communication failure, non delivery, participant bypass.
exit plan: The contract plan for returning all data and transitioning service when an agreement ends. See also: data portability.
export limiting: A control that caps how much power a site can send to the grid, often set at interconnection. See also: curtailment, POI.

F

failover drill: A planned test that switches service to the standby system to prove recovery works within the stated RTO and RPO. See also: hot standby, RTO.
FDD (Fault Detection and Diagnostics): Analytics that find equipment faults or poor performance from operating data, common in commercial buildings and HVAC. See also: BEMS, HVAC.
FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program): The US government program that authorizes cloud services for federal use at Low, Moderate, or High impact levels. See also: ATO, inherited control.
feeder: A distribution circuit that carries power from a substation to many customers. DER dispatch by feeder helps relieve local constraints. See also: substation, locational tag.
FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission): The US federal regulator of wholesale electricity markets and interstate transmission. See also: FERC 2222.
FERC 2222: FERC Order 2222, which requires ISOs and RTOs to let aggregations of DERs participate in wholesale markets. See also: aggregator, double counting.
figure of record: The approved, locked version of a settlement number. Corrections create a new version and keep the original. See also: calculation lineage, settlement.
firm load block: A block of load reduction promised at a fixed size for a fixed window, backed by enough enrolled devices to cover expected losses. See also: committed MW.
flat file: A simple data file, often CSV, exchanged on a schedule. Many EV networks share session data this way. See also: batch file.
fleet charging: Charging for commercial vehicle fleets at depots, where schedules and routes set flexibility. See also: managed charging.
FLISR (Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration): An automated distribution function that finds a fault, isolates the damaged section, and restores power to as many customers as possible by switching. See also: ADMS.
frequency regulation: Fast up and down adjustments of power to keep grid frequency at its target. See also: ancillary services.
frequency-watt: A smart inverter function that changes real power output in response to grid frequency deviations. See also: smart inverter.
FTM (Front of the Meter): Equipment connected directly to the utility system rather than behind a customer meter, such as a utility scale or community battery. See also: BTM, BESS.
function set: A group of related IEEE 2030.5 resources, such as DER control, metering, or pricing. See also: IEEE 2030.5.

G

G&T (Generation and Transmission cooperative): A cooperative that supplies wholesale power and transmission to its member distribution co-ops. See also: co-op.
GIS (Geographic Information System): Software that maps utility assets such as feeders, transformers, and service points. A DERMS uses GIS data to tag each device with its location on the grid. See also: locational tag, feeder.
Green Button: A standard format and program that lets customers download or share their utility usage data. See also: Green Button Connect My Data, ESPI.
Green Button Connect My Data: The Green Button service that lets a customer authorize a third party to receive usage data automatically. See also: Green Button.
grid edge DERMS: A grid side DERMS that sits next to the ADMS, knows the feeder and substation model, and plans DER dispatch around network constraints. It often relies on another platform for customer and device operations. See also: DERMS of record, ADMS.
grid interactive water heater: A water heater that accepts grid signals to shed or load up, through CTA-2045 or a control module. See also: CTA-2045, load up.

H

heat pump: Equipment that moves heat instead of making it, for heating and cooling. It can modulate output, which makes it a flexible load. See also: mini split, HPWH.
HEMS (Home Energy Management System): Software or hardware that monitors and controls energy use in a home. See also: SHEMS.
hosting capacity: How much DER a feeder or location can accept without upgrades or violations of voltage and thermal limits. See also: interconnection.
hot standby: A second system kept running and in sync so it can take over within minutes if the primary fails. See also: RTO, RPO.
HPWH (Heat Pump Water Heater): A water heater that uses a heat pump, with a resistance backup element. It recovers more slowly than a resistance unit. See also: CTA-2045, grid interactive water heater.
HSM (Hardware Security Module): Tamper resistant hardware that protects cryptographic keys. See also: KMS.
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning): The systems that heat, cool, and ventilate buildings, usually the largest flexible load in homes and offices. See also: smart thermostat, heat pump.

I

idempotency: A property of an API call where sending the same request twice has the same effect as sending it once. Idempotent dispatch IDs stop duplicate events after retries. See also: REST, schedule of record.
IEC 61850: The IEC standard for substation and DER communication, with object models for protection, control, and monitoring. See also: CIM, SCADA.
IEC 61968: The CIM standards for distribution management and enterprise integration. See also: CIM, IEC 61970.
IEC 61970: The CIM standards for transmission and energy management system models. See also: CIM, IEC 61968.
IEC 62443: The IEC series for industrial control system security, based on zones, conduits, and security levels. See also: OT.
IEEE 1547: The IEEE standard for interconnecting DERs with the grid. The 2018 version requires ride through, voltage support, and communications. See also: UL 1741, smart inverter.
IEEE 1815: The IEEE number for the DNP3 standard, including its secure authentication. See also: DNP3.
IEEE 2030.5: An IEEE standard for communicating with smart inverters and other DERs over IP, the basis for California Rule 21 communications. Also called SEP2. See also: CSIP, SEP2.
incentive: A payment or credit to a customer or partner for enrolling or performing. See also: on bill credit, payee.
incident response plan: The documented steps for detecting, containing, notifying about, and recovering from a security incident. See also: BCP.
income qualified: A program or offer limited to households that meet an income test, often with higher incentives and direct install options. See also: LMI.
inherited control: A security control provided by an underlying platform, such as AWS physical security, that an application on it relies on. See also: FedRAMP, AWS.
interconnection: The process and technical rules for connecting a generator or battery to the grid, including application, study, and approval. See also: IEEE 1547, Rule 21.
interval data: Meter or device readings recorded at fixed intervals, commonly 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or one hour. Settlement and baselines are calculated from it. See also: AMI.
inverter: A device that converts DC power from solar or batteries into AC power for the home and grid. See also: smart inverter.
IOU (Investor Owned Utility): A utility owned by shareholders and regulated by a state commission. See also: PUC.
IRP (Integrated Resource Plan): A long term utility plan that compares supply and demand side resources to meet future load at least cost and risk. See also: NWA.
islanding: A condition where part of the grid or a site keeps running from local resources while disconnected from the main grid. Unintentional islanding must be prevented. See also: microgrid, IEEE 1547.
ISMS (Information Security Management System): The policies, risk process, and controls an organization uses to manage security, as defined by ISO 27001. See also: ISO 27001.
ISO (Independent System Operator): An organization that runs the wholesale market and transmission grid in a region, such as CAISO or ISO-NE. ISO is also the International Organization for Standardization, the body behind ISO 27001 and ISO 15118. See also: RTO, CAISO.
ISO 15118: The international standard for communication between an EV and a charger, enabling Plug and Charge and, in 15118-20, bidirectional power. See also: Plug and Charge, V2G.
ISO 27001: The international standard for an information security management system, certified by an accredited auditor. Also written ISO/IEC 27001. See also: ISMS, Annex A.
ISO-NE (ISO New England): The ISO that runs the grid and wholesale market across the six New England states. See also: ISO.
ISO/IEC 27001: The full name of ISO 27001, published jointly by ISO and IEC. See also: ISO 27001.
IT (Information Technology): Business computing systems such as email, billing, and enterprise applications. See also: OT.
IVR (Interactive Voice Response): An automated phone system that lets callers get information or route to an agent. See also: CSR.

J

J1772: SAE J1772, the standard AC charging connector for most non Tesla EVs in North America. See also: CCS, NACS.
J3072: SAE J3072, the standard for interconnecting bidirectional vehicle onboard inverters with the grid. See also: V2G, IEEE 1547.
J3400: SAE J3400, the standard published for the NACS connector. See also: NACS.
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation): A text format for structured data used by most modern APIs. See also: REST, XML.

K

KMS (Key Management Service): A managed service that creates, stores, and rotates encryption keys and controls their use. See also: AES, HSM.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator): A measure used to track performance against a goal, such as answer rate or enrollment time. See also: SLA, CSAT.
kW (kilowatt): A unit of power equal to 1,000 watts. Device and program capacity is usually expressed in kW or MW. See also: kWh.
kWh (kilowatt hour): A unit of energy equal to one kW used for one hour. Bills and energy payments are usually in kWh. See also: kW.

L

least privilege: Giving each user and service only the access it needs for its job. See also: RBAC.
Level 2: EV charging at 208 or 240 volts, typically 6 to 19 kW, the common home and workplace charger. See also: EVSE, DCFC.
liquidated damages: A contract amount set in advance that a provider pays if it fails to deliver, such as missed capacity in an availability test. See also: pay for performance.
LMI (Low and Moderate Income): Households below a set income threshold. Many programs reserve incentives or capacity for them. See also: income qualified.
LMP (Locational Marginal Price): The wholesale price of energy at a specific node, reflecting generation cost, congestion, and losses. See also: wholesale market.
load control switch: A device installed on an appliance that turns it off or cycles it on a utility signal over paging, radio, or cellular. See also: DLC.
load shifting: Moving electricity use from one time to another without reducing the total, for example heating water before the evening peak. See also: load up.
load up: A command that asks a device, often a water heater, to consume more energy now, usually before an event or when renewable output is high. It is a defined CTA-2045 command. See also: CTA-2045, shed.
locational tag: The feeder, substation, or other grid location attached to a device or premise. It lets the DERMS dispatch and report by place. See also: GIS, feeder.

M

M&V (Measurement and Verification): The methods used to estimate how much a resource actually delivered, by comparing what happened with what would have happened without the event. See also: baseline, EM&V.
machine learning: A form of AI where a model is trained on historical data, used in DERMS for forecasting and baseline selection. See also: AI.
managed charging: Utility or program control of when and how fast EVs charge, usually to keep charging off peak. It can be daily schedules or event based curtailment. See also: EV, TOU.
Markets+: The SPP day ahead and real time market offering for western utilities, an alternative to EDAM. See also: SPP, EDAM.
master metered: A building where one utility meter serves several units, so per unit performance is hard to measure. See also: multifamily.
matched control: A comparison group of non participants chosen to look like participants, used to estimate what participants would have done. See also: RCT.
MDM (Meter Data Management): The function of validating, editing, and estimating meter data, or the product that does it. NISC offers an MDM used by many co-ops. See also: MDMS, NISC.
MDMS (Meter Data Management System): The system that stores, validates, and estimates interval data from utility meters. It is the usual source of AMI data for baselines and settlement. See also: AMI, MDM.
media sanitization: Erasing or destroying storage so data cannot be recovered, following a standard such as NIST SP 800-88. See also: data minimization.
meter collar: A device that fits between the meter and its socket, allowing a battery or generator to connect without panel work. See also: plug-in solar.
MFA (Multi Factor Authentication): Requiring two or more proofs of identity, such as a password and a phone prompt or security key. See also: SSO.
microgrid: A local group of loads and resources that can disconnect from the grid and run on its own. See also: islanding.
migration: Moving program enrollments, devices, and history from an incumbent platform to a new one without re-enrolling customers. See also: parallel run.
mini split: A ductless heat pump with an outdoor unit and one or more indoor heads. See also: heat pump.
MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator): The ISO that runs the grid across much of the central US and Manitoba. See also: ISO.
mixing valve: A valve that blends hot and cold water so a water heater can store water hotter than the delivery temperature, adding storage for load up. See also: grid interactive water heater.
Modbus: A simple industrial protocol for reading and writing device registers over serial or TCP. See also: SunSpec, BACnet.
MQTT: A lightweight publish and subscribe messaging protocol used for device telemetry through a broker. See also: telemetry.
multi tenant: A deployment where several utilities share one software instance, with their data logically separated. See also: single tenant, On Prem.
multifamily: Buildings with several housing units, where enrollment involves both tenants and the property owner. See also: master metered.
municipal utility: A utility owned and run by a city or town. See also: public power.
mutual TLS: TLS where both client and server present certificates, so each side proves its identity. See also: TLS, PKI.
MW (megawatt): A unit of power equal to 1,000 kW. Fleet and program capacity is usually stated in MW. See also: kW.
MWh (megawatt hour): A unit of energy equal to 1,000 kWh. See also: kWh.

N

NACS (North American Charging Standard): The Tesla designed connector, standardized as SAE J3400, now adopted by most automakers. See also: J3400, CCS.
named community: Washington state term for vulnerable populations and highly impacted communities that utility programs must benefit. See also: LMI.
NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement): A contract that limits sharing of confidential information, often required before sharing audit reports. See also: SOC 2.
NEM (Net Energy Metering): A billing arrangement that credits customers for electricity their solar exports to the grid. See also: net load.
NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation): The organization that sets and enforces reliability standards for the bulk power system. See also: NERC CIP.
NERC CIP (NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection): The NERC cybersecurity standards (CIP-002 through CIP-014) for systems that operate the bulk electric system. See also: BES, ESP.
nested group: A hierarchy of device groups, such as substation, feeder, and transformer, so a dispatch at one level cascades to the groups below. See also: locational tag, dynamic cohort.
net load: Customer load minus local generation such as rooftop solar. It is what the meter and the grid actually see. See also: BTM.
NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure): The federal formula program that funds public fast chargers along highway corridors, with minimum standards for uptime and data. See also: DCFC.
NISC (National Information Solutions Cooperative): A cooperative that provides billing, CIS, MDM, and customer portal software such as SmartHub to many co-ops and public power utilities. See also: co-op, MDM.
NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology): The US agency that publishes widely used security frameworks and control catalogs. See also: NIST CSF, NIST SP 800-53.
NIST AI RMF (NIST AI Risk Management Framework): A NIST framework for managing AI risk with four functions: Govern, Map, Measure, and Manage. See also: NIST.
NIST CSF (NIST Cybersecurity Framework): A framework that organizes security outcomes into functions: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. See also: NIST.
NIST SP 800-53: The NIST catalog of security and privacy controls, grouped into families and baselines such as moderate. See also: NIST, SSP.
non delivery: An exception where the device received the event and stayed in the program but did not deliver the expected load change. See also: exception class.
NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory): The US Department of Energy national laboratory focused on renewable energy and grid integration research. See also: DER.
NSP (Network Service Provider): In EV charging, the company that runs the software network chargers connect to. See also: OCPP, CPO.
NWA (Non Wires Alternative): Using DERs, efficiency, or DR to defer or avoid a traditional grid upgrade such as a new transformer or line. See also: locational tag, IRP.
NYISO (New York Independent System Operator): The ISO that runs the New York grid and wholesale market. See also: ISO.

O

OAuth: An authorization standard (OAuth 2.0) that lets an application access an API with a scoped token instead of a password. See also: OIDC, API.
OCPI (Open Charge Point Interface): An open protocol for exchanging charger, session, and tariff data between charge point operators and e-mobility service providers. See also: OCPP, eMSP.
OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol): The open protocol between EV chargers and their central system, covering sessions, firmware, and smart charging profiles. See also: OCPI, EVSE.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): The company that makes a device, such as a thermostat, battery, inverter, or vehicle. Most DERMS control runs through the OEM cloud API. See also: OEM cloud API.
OEM cloud API: An internet API run by a device maker that lets an authorized platform read device data and send control commands. It is the most common control path for residential DERs. See also: OEM, API.
offshore access: Access to utility data by staff or systems outside the US. Utility contracts often prohibit or restrict it. See also: data residency.
OIDC (OpenID Connect): An identity layer on OAuth 2.0 used for modern single sign on. See also: OAuth, SSO.
OMS (Outage Management System): Utility software that tracks outages, predicts their location from customer calls and meter events, and coordinates restoration crews. See also: ADMS.
on bill credit: An incentive applied as a credit on the customer utility bill rather than paid separately. See also: incentive.
On Prem: A deployment that runs in the utility data center rather than the vendor cloud. For a cloud native platform this can be done with AWS Outposts. See also: AWS Outposts, hot standby.
OpenADR (Open Automated Demand Response): An open standard for sending DR event signals and receiving reports between a utility server and devices or aggregators. See also: VTN, VEN.
OpenADR 2.0b: The full profile of OpenADR 2.0, with event, reporting, registration, and opt services, certified by the OpenADR Alliance. See also: OpenADR, EiEvent.
OpenADR 3.0: The REST and JSON version of OpenADR with programs, events, reports, and subscriptions, simpler to implement than 2.0b. See also: OpenADR, REST.
OpenADR Alliance: The industry group that maintains OpenADR and certifies products. See also: OpenADR.
opt out: A customer action that removes a device from a single event or from the program. DERMS track opt outs to measure program fatigue and settle correctly. See also: participant bypass.
OT (Operational Technology): Systems that monitor and control physical equipment, such as SCADA and substation devices, as opposed to business IT. See also: IT, IEC 62443.
OTA (Over the Air): Remote software or firmware updates delivered to a device over its network connection. See also: OEM.
outstation: In DNP3, the field side device that reports data to and takes commands from the SCADA master. See also: DNP3.

P

PA (Program Administrator): The utility or agency that runs an energy program and answers to the regulator for it. See also: program administrator.
PACT (Program Administrator Cost Test): Another name for the Utility Cost Test, comparing avoided costs with program administrator spending. See also: UCT.
parallel run: Running the old and new platforms side by side for a period and comparing results before cutover. See also: migration.
participant bypass: An exception where the customer chose to override or opt out of an event. Programs usually count it differently from equipment failures. See also: exception class, opt out.
partner API: An API a DERMS exposes so another platform, such as a grid edge DERMS, can read the registry, send dispatches, and receive results. See also: API, grid edge DERMS.
pay for performance: A contract that pays per kW of capacity and per kWh of energy actually delivered, verified by M&V. See also: availability test, liquidated damages.
payee: The party designated to receive an incentive payment, which may differ from the account holder, such as an installer or owner. See also: incentive.
PCC (Point of Common Coupling): The point where a customer site connects to the utility grid, where power quality and export limits are assessed. See also: POI.
penetration test: An authorized simulated attack by testers to find exploitable weaknesses. See also: CVE.
PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle): A vehicle with both a rechargeable battery and a gasoline engine. See also: EV.
PII (Personally Identifiable Information): Information that identifies a person, such as name, address, account number, or email. See also: data minimization, CCPA.
PJM: The RTO that runs the grid and wholesale market across 13 states and Washington DC. See also: RTO, PLC.
PKI (Public Key Infrastructure): The certificates, authorities, and processes used to issue and trust digital certificates. See also: mutual TLS.
PLC (Peak Load Contribution): In PJM, a customer share of the zone peak load, which sets its capacity obligation for the next year. See also: PJM, coincident peak.
Plug and Charge: An ISO 15118 feature where the vehicle authenticates to the charger automatically with a certificate, with no card or app. See also: ISO 15118.
plug-in solar: Small solar kits, sometimes called balcony solar, that plug into a household outlet rather than being hard wired. See also: SB 868.
POAM (Plan of Action and Milestones): A tracked list of known security gaps with owners and target dates for fixing them. See also: SSP.
POI (Point of Interconnection): The point where a generating facility or battery connects to the utility system and where its output is often measured. See also: PCC.
point of sale pre enrollment: Enrolling a device in a program at the moment it is bought or installed rather than later. See also: enrollment state machine.
pool pump: A pump that circulates pool water. Its flexible run schedule makes it a good shift resource. See also: VFD.
power factor: The ratio of real power to apparent power at a point. A low power factor means more current for the same useful work. See also: reactive power.
PPA (Power Purchase Agreement): A contract to buy electricity from a specific resource at agreed terms. See also: TPO.
pre cooling: Running air conditioning harder before an event so the home stays comfortable while cooling is reduced during the event. See also: snapback, smart thermostat.
pre heating: Running heating before a winter event so the building stays comfortable while heating is reduced during the event. See also: pre cooling.
program administrator: The organization responsible for running an efficiency or DR program, such as a utility or a state agency. See also: PA.
proration: Adjusting a payment or commitment for partial participation, such as a device that enrolled mid season. See also: settlement.
PSC (Public Service Commission): The name used in some states for the utility regulator. See also: PUC.
PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff): A planned outage a utility uses in high wildfire risk weather to keep lines from starting fires. See also: resilience.
PTR (Peak Time Rebate): A program that pays customers for reducing use below their baseline during called peak events, without a penalty for not responding. See also: CPP, baseline.
public power: Utilities owned by a city, county, state, or district rather than investors, such as municipal utilities and public utility districts. See also: municipal utility.
public records act: A state law that lets the public request government and public utility records, which can include vendor submissions. See also: RFP.
PUC (Public Utilities Commission): The state regulator that approves utility rates, programs, and spending. Some states call it a public service commission. See also: PSC, rate case.
pull mode: An integration pattern where the client polls the server at intervals for new messages. See also: push mode.
push mode: An integration pattern where the server sends messages to the client as they happen. See also: pull mode.

R

ramp: A fast rise or fall in net load or generation that operators must follow. See also: duck curve.
rate case: A formal proceeding where a utility asks its regulator to approve new rates and the spending behind them. See also: PUC, tariff.
RBAC (Role Based Access Control): Granting permissions through roles rather than to individual users. See also: least privilege.
RCT (Randomized Control Trial): An evaluation design that randomly assigns participants to treatment and control groups for each event, giving an unbiased impact estimate. See also: control group, matched control.
reactive power: Power that supports voltage on the grid but does no real work, measured in vars. Inverters can supply or absorb it. See also: volt-var.
readiness check: A test run before an event to confirm each device is connected, charged above its commitment, and free of open bypasses or cases. See also: dispatchable MW.
registry: The DERMS store of customers, premises, devices, agreements, and their relationships. Every enrollment, event, and payment points back to registry records. See also: service point, locational tag.
regression baseline: A baseline estimated from a statistical model of load against weather, time, and other variables. See also: baseline, weather normalization.
regulatory pack: A set of reports and data generated in the format a regulator expects for program filings. See also: PUC.
resilience: The ability of customers and the grid to keep critical loads running through outages and recover quickly. See also: PSPS, backup reserve.
resource adequacy: Having enough capacity to meet peak demand plus a reserve margin. DR and batteries can count toward it. See also: ELCC.
REST (Representational State Transfer): A common style of web API that uses HTTP methods on resources, usually with JSON. See also: API, JSON.
RFI (Request for Information): An early solicitation that gathers vendor information before an RFP. See also: RFP.
RFP (Request for Proposal): A formal solicitation asking vendors to propose a solution and price against stated requirements. See also: RFI, SOW.
RFQ (Request for Quotation): A solicitation asking for prices on a defined scope. See also: RFP.
ride through: The requirement that an inverter stay connected through short voltage or frequency disturbances instead of tripping off. See also: IEEE 1547.
rider: An addition to a tariff that sets the terms of a specific program or charge, such as a DR rider. See also: tariff.
RIM (Ratepayer Impact Measure): A cost effectiveness test that asks whether a program raises or lowers rates for all customers. See also: TRC, UCT.
rooftop solar: Photovoltaic panels on a home or building roof, usually behind the meter. See also: NEM, smart inverter.
round trip efficiency: The share of energy put into a battery that comes back out, typically 85% to 90% for lithium ion systems. See also: BESS.
RPO (Recovery Point Objective): The maximum acceptable data loss after an outage, measured as time since the last good copy. See also: RTO, BCP.
RTO (Regional Transmission Organization): An ISO that operates transmission across a multistate region, such as PJM or MISO. In security documents, RTO also means recovery time objective. See also: ISO, RPO.
RTP (Real Time Pricing): A rate that follows wholesale prices hour by hour or more often. See also: LMP.
Rule 21: The California tariff that sets interconnection rules for distributed generation and smart inverters on the investor owned utility grids. See also: CSIP, IEEE 2030.5.

S

SAE (SAE International): The engineering standards body for vehicles, including EV connectors and interconnection. See also: J1772, J3072.
SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language): An XML standard for single sign on that passes identity assertions from an identity provider to an application. See also: SSO, OIDC.
SAP: An enterprise software suite. Many large utilities run their CIS and billing on SAP. See also: CIS.
SB 868: A California bill addressing plug-in solar devices and how they may connect to the home and grid. See also: plug-in solar.
SBOM (Software Bill of Materials): A list of the software components and versions in a product, used to track vulnerabilities in the supply chain. See also: CISA, CVE.
SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition): The real time monitoring and control system that utilities use for substations, feeders, and large assets. It typically speaks DNP3 or IEC 61850. See also: DNP3, ADMS.
schedule of record: A dispatch schedule stored ahead of time on both sides of an integration so the window runs even if the two systems lose contact. See also: idempotency, dispatch.
scorecard: A periodic report that grades a partner or provider on metrics such as uptime, data completeness, and match rates. See also: KPI.
Section 508: The US federal requirement that electronic information be accessible to people with disabilities, aligned with WCAG. See also: WCAG.
SEP2 (Smart Energy Profile 2.0): The earlier name for IEEE 2030.5. See also: IEEE 2030.5.
serverless: A cloud design where the provider runs and scales the servers, and the application is built from managed functions and services. See also: AWS.
service point: The point where the utility delivers power to a premise, usually identified by a meter. Devices are tied to a service point so their performance can be matched to meter data. See also: registry.
setpoint: The target value a device holds, such as a thermostat temperature or a battery power level. Many DR events work by adjusting setpoints. See also: smart thermostat.
setpoint verification: Checking from telemetry that a device actually moved to the commanded setpoint during an event. See also: setpoint.
settlement: Calculating what each participant, aggregator, or program delivered and what it is owed or owes for a period. See also: figure of record, M&V.
SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol): An encrypted file transfer protocol used for scheduled batch exchanges with utility systems. See also: batch file.
shadow settlement: Running settlement calculations in parallel without paying on them, to test a method before it goes live. See also: settlement.
shed: A command or action that reduces a device load for a period. It is the basic CTA-2045 demand response command. See also: load up, CTA-2045.
SHEMS (Smart Home Energy Management System): A home system that coordinates devices such as panels, batteries, and chargers to optimize energy use. ENERGY STAR defines a SHEMS specification. See also: HEMS, smart panel.
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management): A system that collects and analyzes security logs from many sources to detect incidents. See also: syslog.
single tenant: A deployment where one utility gets its own dedicated software instance and cloud account. See also: multi tenant, On Prem.
SLA (Service Level Agreement): Contract terms that set measurable service targets and remedies, such as availability or enrollment time. See also: KPI, SOW.
smart inverter: An inverter that can do more than convert DC to AC: it supports voltage, rides through disturbances, and accepts remote settings, as required by IEEE 1547-2018. See also: IEEE 1547, UL 1741.
smart panel: An electrical panel with controllable, metered circuits that can shed or schedule individual loads. See also: SHEMS.
smart plug: A plug in device that lets an appliance such as a window AC be switched remotely. See also: smart panel.
smart thermostat: A connected thermostat that can be adjusted remotely through the OEM cloud for demand response. See also: pre cooling, HVAC.
SmartHub: The NISC customer portal and app used by many co-ops and public power utilities. See also: NISC.
SMS (Short Message Service): Text messaging, used for event notices and program updates with consent. See also: TCPA.
snapback: The rebound in load right after a demand response event ends, as devices recover. Poorly managed snapback can create a new peak. See also: pre cooling, staggered release.
SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2): An AICPA audit report on a service provider controls for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. See also: Trust Services Criteria, Type II.
SOW (Statement of Work): The contract document that defines deliverables, schedule, and responsibilities. See also: SLA.
SPP (Southwest Power Pool): The RTO serving the central US that also offers Markets+ in the West. See also: Markets+, RTO.
SSO (Single Sign On): Signing in once with a corporate identity to reach many applications. See also: SAML, OIDC.
SSP (System Security Plan): The document that describes a system, its boundary, and how each required control is implemented. See also: POAM, NIST SP 800-53.
staggered release: Ending an event for different device groups at different times so that their recovery does not create a sharp snapback peak. See also: snapback.
Standard Practice Manual: The California guide that defines the standard cost effectiveness tests used by regulators across the US. See also: TRC, RIM.
standing window: A recurring dispatch window that runs every eligible day without a separate event call, such as 4 to 6 pm weekdays in a storage VPP. See also: event window.
state of charge: How full a battery is, as a % of usable capacity. Programs set floors so customers keep backup power and EV drivers keep range. See also: backup reserve, BESS.
Statement of Applicability: The ISO 27001 document that lists which Annex A controls apply and why any are excluded. See also: Annex A.
stranded asset: Equipment that loses its value before the end of its life, such as chargers tied to a network that shuts down. See also: vendor lock in.
substation: A facility that steps voltage down from transmission to distribution levels and feeds several feeders. See also: feeder.
SunSpec: An alliance and set of standard Modbus data models for inverters, batteries, and meters, plus IEEE 2030.5 conformance testing. See also: Modbus, IEEE 2030.5.
surveillance audit: The yearly audit between ISO 27001 recertifications that confirms the ISMS still works. See also: ISO 27001.
syslog: A standard protocol for forwarding log messages to a central collector such as a SIEM. See also: SIEM.
system of record: The one system whose copy of a record is authoritative when systems disagree. Other systems mirror it. See also: DERMS of record.

T

target MW optimizer: A dispatch tool that selects which devices to call, and how hard, to deliver a requested MW amount with the least customer impact. See also: dispatchable MW.
tariff: The regulator approved document that sets a utility rate, program, or service terms. See also: rider, rate case.
TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act): The federal law limiting automated calls and texts without consent. See also: CAN-SPAM, SMS.
telematics: Data and remote commands sent through a vehicle own connected services, such as state of charge and charging control. See also: vehicle API.
telemetry: Data a device reports about itself, such as power, temperature, state of charge, or mode. Its cadence and completeness drive what M&V methods are possible. See also: M&V, interval data.
telemetry cadence: How often a device reports data, such as every 5 minutes or every 15 minutes. Faster cadence supports tighter verification. See also: telemetry.
test event: A dispatch run to verify that devices respond and data flows, without a grid need behind it. Some contracts require them on a schedule. See also: availability test.
thermal storage: Storing cooling or heating, such as ice or chilled water, to shift HVAC load out of peak hours. See also: pre cooling.
TLS (Transport Layer Security): The protocol that encrypts data in transit over networks. TLS 1.3 is the current version. See also: mutual TLS, AES.
TOU (Time of Use): A rate where the price of electricity changes by time of day, with higher prices in peak hours. See also: CPP, managed charging.
TPO (Third Party Owned): A solar or battery system owned by a company, not the customer, under a lease or power purchase agreement. See also: PPA.
trade ally: A contractor or retailer that sells and installs qualifying equipment and helps customers enroll. See also: direct install.
TRC (Total Resource Cost): A cost effectiveness test that compares all program benefits with all costs paid by the utility and participants. See also: UCT, RIM, PACT.
treatment group: Participants dispatched in an event whose load is compared with the control group. See also: control group.
TRM (Technical Reference Manual): A state document of deemed savings values and formulas regulators accept for efficiency and DR measures. See also: EM&V.
Trust Services Criteria: The five AICPA criteria a SOC 2 report covers: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. See also: SOC 2.
Type I: A SOC 2 report that tests whether controls are designed properly at a single point in time. See also: Type II, SOC 2.
Type II: A SOC 2 report that tests whether controls operated effectively over an observation period, usually 6 to 12 months. See also: Type I, bridge letter.

U

UCM (Universal Communication Module): The plug in module for a CTA-2045 port that carries utility signals over Wi-Fi, cellular, or another network. See also: CTA-2045.
UCT (Utility Cost Test): A cost effectiveness test that compares avoided utility costs with what the utility spends on the program. See also: PACT, TRC.
UL 1741: The UL safety standard for inverters. Supplements SA and SB test smart inverter grid support functions, with SB covering IEEE 1547-2018. See also: IEEE 1547.
uptime: The share of time a system or charger is available, often stated as a % per month. See also: SLA.
utility bypass: A utility directed exclusion of a device or site from an event, for example during an outage or a feeder constraint. Excluded hours are usually removed from settlement. See also: participant bypass.

V

V2B (Vehicle to Building): An EV discharging to supply a building load, offsetting its demand without exporting to the grid. See also: V2G.
V2G (Vehicle to Grid): An EV discharging power back to the grid on command. See also: V2B, ISO 15118.
V2H (Vehicle to Home): An EV powering a home, usually as backup during an outage. See also: V2X.
V2X (Vehicle to Everything): The umbrella term for bidirectional EV uses, including V2G, V2B, and V2H. See also: V2G, V2B, V2H.
VCDPA (Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act): The Virginia privacy law granting access, correction, deletion, and opt out rights and requiring data protection assessments. See also: CCPA.
VCEA (Virginia Clean Economy Act): The 2020 Virginia law that sets clean energy and efficiency targets for the state's investor owned utilities. See also: PUC.
vehicle API: An API that reads vehicle data and controls charging through the automaker cloud rather than the charger. See also: telematics, managed charging.
VEN (Virtual End Node): The OpenADR client role that receives events and sends reports, run by a device, building, or aggregator. See also: VTN, OpenADR.
vendor lock in: Dependence on one vendor that makes switching costly, often due to proprietary formats or closed devices. See also: data portability.
vendor risk assessment: A utility review of a supplier security, financial, and operational risk before and during a contract. See also: DDQ.
VFD (Variable Frequency Drive): A motor controller that changes motor speed, used on pumps and fans to reduce power on demand. See also: pool pump.
volt-var: A smart inverter function that absorbs or supplies reactive power based on local voltage to keep voltage in range. See also: volt-watt, smart inverter.
volt-watt: A smart inverter function that reduces real power output when voltage rises too high. See also: volt-var.
VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template): The standard template used to write an Accessibility Conformance Report. See also: ACR.
VPP (Virtual Power Plant): A fleet of distributed energy resources that is dispatched together to act like a single power plant. A VPP can reduce load, shift load, or inject power at set times. See also: DER, aggregator.
VTN (Virtual Top Node): The OpenADR server role that publishes events and receives reports, usually run by the utility or the DERMS. See also: VEN, OpenADR.

W

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): The W3C guidelines for accessible web content. WCAG 2.1 AA is the usual contract target. See also: Section 508, ACR.
weather normalization: Adjusting load or savings to remove the effect of weather so results from different days can be compared. See also: regression baseline.
webhook: A message one system sends to another URL when an event happens, instead of being polled. See also: push mode.
WEIM (Western Energy Imbalance Market): The CAISO real time market that balances supply and demand across participating western utilities. See also: CAISO, EDAM.
whole home generator: A permanently installed standby generator, often natural gas, that powers a home during outages and can support the grid when dispatched. See also: resilience.
whole home optimization: Coordinating several devices in one household, such as a thermostat, water heater, battery, and EV charger, to deliver one combined response. See also: SHEMS.
wholesale market: The market where generators, utilities, and aggregators buy and sell energy, capacity, and ancillary services, usually run by an ISO or RTO. See also: ISO, LMP.

X

XML (Extensible Markup Language): A text markup format for structured data, used by OpenADR 2.0 and many utility integrations. See also: JSON.